


Celebration

by orphan_account



Series: Enchanted Worlds [20]
Category: Princess Tutu
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-26
Updated: 2014-03-26
Packaged: 2018-01-17 03:29:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1372258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ahiru and Fakir attend Raetsel's wedding.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Celebration

"There…"

Having finished applying a little makeup, Ahiru leaned forward to inspect herself in the mirror one last time. Once she was sure everything looked okay and there were no obvious mistakes, she hurried out of the bathroom and made a beeline for her bedroom window. From there she could see the preparations being finished below and various people milling about. Rue was one of them, as she was a bridesmaid - her duties to the wedding party being why Ahiru had had to do her own hair and makeup today - but at this distance she couldn't really tell who was who.

She watched for a few minutes before tearing herself away and heading towards her bedroom door. It would all be starting soon and she didn't want to be late, and she also wanted to find Fakir.

Who, as it turned out, had his hand raised to knock just as she pulled the door open. "Oh!" Ahiru blinked; for his part, Fakir looked startled and lowered his hand. "Fakir! There you are! Is - is it time?"

"Yeah… just about… I…" Fakir stared at her, and struggled to gather his thoughts together. "I came to - see if you were ready…"

"Mmm-hmm." Ahiru nodded. "I - I'm ready. B-but, um, how do I look? Do I look okay? I - I don't want to look shabby for such a special occasion…"

"Idiot." Fakir smiled and touched her cheek. "You could - you could never look shabby." He blushed.

"Ah, n-no, that's n-not true…" Ahiru stammered, feeling her face get hot too. "I - I definitely did when I first got here, remember? I only had that ugly old dress and I'd been traveling on a train for hours…"

Fakir shook his head and felt his blush deepen at what he was about to say. "Doesn't matter. I could still tell how pretty you are."

Ahiru's eyes went wide. "You… you thought so… even then?"

"Yeah, but… I…" Fakir shifted uncomfortably. "It doesn't change the fact that I didn't treat you kindly at first, so don't…" He sighed heavily. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." She reached up and touched his hand where it still lay on her cheek. "I already forgave you for that, so don't worry about it."

"I can't help that." His gaze dropped, and so did his hand. "It's something I'll always regret."

"But I don't want you to be sad about it forever." Ahiru stepped closer. "You said you were sorry and you meant it and you've been really good to me ever since that one day and I forgive you… can't that be enough? I don't want you to be unhappy and hate yourself." Especially since he did so much of that as it was over other things.

Fakir met her eyes, and saw the stubbornness there that he knew meant she wasn't going to back down on this. "If it's really that important to you, then… I'll try."

"Promise?"

Fakir nodded and gave her a small smile. "I promise."

"Thank you." Ahiru smiled, and then after a few seconds' pause leaned up towards him. "I'll probably mess up my makeup a little if I do this, but I don't care. I wanna kiss you." She blushed, and had the giddy pleasure of seeing his smile become positively goofy before she closed her eyes and touched her lips to his. She felt him sigh into the kiss, his breath brushing her cheek, and let out a sigh of her own as he slipped an arm around her and pulled her closer.

They lingered like that in each other's embrace for a couple minutes, and then reluctantly broke apart for air. When he'd caught his breath again, Fakir stroked Ahiru's cheek and spoke. "Do you want to walk down together?"

"Of course!" Ahiru nodded. Fakir smiled again, and offered her his hand, which she happily took. They walked hand in hand down the hall and made their way to the ground floor and then outside, where everything was ready and people were beginning to find their seats. Several tantalizing smells wafted in their direction from the enormous tent that had been set up for the reception, and Ahiru blushed when her stomach rumbled.

"Ahiru! Fakir!" They turned to see Rue hurrying towards them, looking poised and perfect in her blue bridesmaid's dress, her hair flawlessly coiffed atop her head. "You're finally here! Let me show you to your seats!"

"A-are we late?" Ahiru asked anxiously as they let Rue lead them to their designated chairs. There were of course indoor rooms that were suitable for such an event and had been offered up for this one, but Raetsel had rejected them, saying a spring wedding wasn't meant to be kept indoors. "S-sorry…"

"Oh, not at all, don't worry." Rue waved a hand dismissively. "You're just in time, we've still got some minutes left before it all begins. Ah, here you are." She directed them to their chairs, and they sat down. "Now I've got to rush off again, I'll see you at the reception!" So saying, she flitted away.

Chrestomanci was in the row ahead of them, as was Uzura, and the latter turned round just in time to see Fakir reach over and take Ahiru's hand again. She made several excited remarks about how they were lovey-dovey zura, which was mortifying, but not enough to make them stop holding hands. Several rows behind them and on the other side of the aisle, less kind eyes watched them closely. They hadn't seen Lilie - accompanied by the oblivious and garishly-dressed Femio - among the crowd, but she had certainly seen them, and was making a mental note of everything, especially their obvious propensity for hand-holding.

Uzura had just enough time to pout about not having been allowed to be a flower girl because she was too young before the music started and everyone fell silent. Uzura herself loudly asked if it was lovey-dovey time now zura, and Chrestomanci told her yes and to hush because no talking was allowed now. Uzura looked like she wanted to argue that, but thankfully was distracted by the appearance of Raetsel and Hans at the end of the aisle. They looked nervous but happy, and walked up together arm in arm. On the other side of the aisle, Ahiru could see Mr. Katz dabbing at his eyes with a handkerchief, and hid a giggle in her hand as she nudged Fakir and pointed it out to him. They shared amused smiles before focusing their attention on watching Raetsel and Hans say their vows.

Once they'd been pronounced husband and wife and shared the first kiss of their marriage, everyone proceeded to the huge tent Ahiru and Fakir had passed by earlier. Inside, countless tables and chairs awaited them, with little cards set up at each place to mark who was meant to sit where. Ahiru and Fakir found themselves at the same table as Chrestomanci, Uzura, Mr. Katz, and Miss Goatette; Rue was seated with the wedding party, but they'd be able to see her after they'd all eaten.

Various members of the wedding party stood up to make their toasts; it went on for a while, and Ahiru and Fakir held hands under the tablecloth while listening. When the last one finished, kitchen staff bustled in to serve the luncheon, piping hot and smelling delicious. Roast meats, freshly baked bread, and carefully prepared spring vegetables made up the menu, and Uzura was particularly delighted by the variety of sparkling drinks available for her to gulp down. Chrestomanci carefully regulated how much she had, however, not wanting her to fill up on that alone, and only a promise of a generous slice of wedding cake for a good little girl who ate enough solid food kept a tantrum from being thrown.

By a pure stroke of luck, Raetsel and Hans stopped by their table as Uzura dug enthusiastically into her promised slice of cake. "Hello, hello - oh, no, Uzura, you don't have to stop eating," she added with a laugh as Uzura peered up at her with dismay evident on her already cake-smeared face. "I just came to thank your mother again for letting Hans and I have our wedding here, and to thank everyone else at your table for attending and celebrating with us."

"Yes, thank you." Hans nodded at Chrestomanci. "It's been an honor to be able to have this here."

"Nonsense, it's my honor to do what I can for a former student." Chrestomanci smiled and reached over to squeeze Raetsel's hand. "I'm flattered that you would want to have your wedding here, and share it with all of us."

"It's the best possible location, really," Raetsel said, smiling back at her. "It's a beautiful old place, and large enough for everyone, and I have so many pleasant childhood memories here. When we first got engaged and began to discuss venues, this was the first one that came to mind for me."

"And I was happy to agree," Hans said. "Even before I'd seen it for myself. Not only because of its size and what I knew of the castle's history, but most of all it seemed like an auspicious beginning to our marriage to hold it in a place so dear to Raetsel's heart."

"Indeed, it is a wise decision to take such things into account when beginning a marriage." Mr. Katz's eyes gleamed. "You two have clearly thought such things through very well! And the ceremony was marvelous, I might add. Don't you all agree? A most splendid beginning to what will surely be a splendid life spent together in the embrace of matrimony!"

Raetsel laughed. "Ah, thank you, Mr. Katz. I certainly hope so." Her gaze fell next on Fakir and Ahiru, and her eyes acquired a mischievous gleam of their own. "Ah, and then there's you two! All this must be making you have thoughts about your own future, eh?" She winked. "You should try to catch the bouquet later, Ahiru - if you're lucky, you and Fakir will be the next ones to have wedding bells in your future!"

"I - !" Fakir sputtered, his face turning bright red, and he tried desperately to muster a glare to send at Raetsel - not an easy task in the midst of his mortification. Beside him, Ahiru made a sound that was something between a squeak and a quack, her face equally bright, and she floundered about without any success at speaking either.

Hans gently elbowed Raetsel. "Dear, you shouldn't tease them so. They're still a bit young to be thinking about marriage, for one thing."

"Oh, you're no fun." Raetsel laughed. "Still, you have a point, it's far more probable that Mr. Katz here will be the next lucky one down the aisle…" She smirked as he and Miss Goatette took their turn at blushing, though there was also an element of preening to Mr. Katz's reaction. "I can't help teasing these two though." She laid her hands on Fakir and Ahiru's shoulders and squeezed them. "They're so _adorable_."

Fakir had finally managed to find his trademark glower by this time, and directed it at Raetsel, though it had rather less impact than it should have because his face and even his ears were still bright red, all the more so after being called "adorable". Ahiru could compliment him any way she wanted, of course, and he agreed that _she_ was adorable, but no one else got to say that about him, especially not publicly."Don't you have other guests to thank?"

"Fakir, don't be rude," Chrestomanci said warningly. Beside her, Uzura looked up from her cake with interest at hearing someone else get scolded for once.

"Oh, I don't mind." Raetsel laughed again. "We do have to continue making the rounds, and anyway it's obvious the poor dear is just acting out because he's embarrassed." She patted Fakir's shoulder, and he fumed even as he resisted the urge to crawl under the table and hide, especially when Raetsel continued, saying "I think it's cute. Anyway, we'll see you later, thank you all again for sharing our day with us."

She and Hans moved on, but before Fakir or Ahiru could recover, Rue showed up. She took one look at their faces and smirked. "Hmmm. I can guess what kind of conversation was just had here. But anyway… are you all having a good time?"

"Indeed." Chrestomanci smiled, ignoring the flustered mumblings coming from Ahiru and Fakir's directions. "And yourself? Are you enjoying being a bridesmaid?"

"Somewhat. I mean, it's a great honor and I've loved being a part of Raetsel's wedding, but it's also exhausting," Rue admitted. "I'll be glad when the day's over and they've left for their honeymoon."

"Honestly, I don't blame you," Miss Goatette said. "I was bridesmaid for both my older sisters when they got married, and it was every bit as exhausting as I imagine this must be for you. Fun, but tiring."

"Right? I didn’t even really get breakfast," Rue complained. "I was fair _starving_ by the time we sat down for lunch. And don't tell anyone else this, but I wanted to smack Hans' brother for being so long-winded in his toast and remind him that some of us hadn't eaten properly in a long while and would like to get on to the food, thank you very much."

"Ha! Your secret's safe with us, don't worry!" Miss Goatette giggled. "I don't blame you on that one, either. Sounds like my second sister's wedding, the best man was so terribly long-winded and _boring_ …"

By this time, people were starting to migrate outside, and Ahiru and Fakir quietly excused themselves to do the same while Rue and Miss Goatette commiserated over their experiences as bridesmaids. Chairs littered the lawn in no real rhyme or reason, and music drifted over to them from the nearby stage that had been provided, where some couples had already started dancing to it.

"Ahiru?" She looked up at him with curiosity in her face, and he swallowed, feeling his heart race with nervousness at what he was about to ask her, even though he knew there was no reason for it to. "Do you… would you… like to dance? With me?"

"D-dance? Um, I… I don't know…" Ahiru blushed. "I - I mean - it's not because of you, you know that, it's just… I know we practiced and all, but… but I'm still probably going to be really terrible, and I don't want to embarrass you or anything…"

Fakir shook his head. "You won't embarrass me. And… look, if you're not comfortable, that's fine, but if you do want to, then… don't worry. About how you'll be, I mean. I don't care about that, I just… I just want to dance with you, if you want to dance with me."

"Really?" Ahiru looked up at him in wonder. "Even - even if I step on your toes?"

"Even then." Fakir offered her his hand. "Do you want to?"

"I… y-yeah," Ahiru admitted with a shy smile. "I - I do."

She took his hand, and he led her over to the dance floor. Trellises bearing fragrant and colorful spring flowers bordered it, and sweet scents greeted them as they stepped onto the smooth surface. The band started playing a slower tune just as they got there, and Fakir pulled Ahiru close and showed her where to put her hands before they began dancing. Despite her lingering nervousness, Ahiru soon relaxed, the music helping to soothe her nearly as much as being held so close by Fakir did. She couldn't see his face, but she could tell that he was just as contented as she was. He leaned his head against hers and squeezed her hand, and she sighed happily.

"I wanted to dance with you like this at the engagement party," Fakir murmured after a couple minutes. "I didn’t have the nerve to ask you, though."

"R-really?" Ahiru leaned back just enough to see him. "But - but I would've been even worse back then…"

"I didn't care." He squeezed her hand again. "Any more than I do now. Then and now… I only care that I love you and get to be close to you."

"Oh, Fakir…" Ahiru blushed and smiled. "I love you too…"

She leaned her head against him again, and they both closed their eyes and smiled. Not too far away, Lilie watched with interest and mixed feelings. She couldn't hear what they were whispering to each other about, but she didn't really need to. Years of spying on people had let her learn to read lips to some degree, and right now, if she'd read theirs correctly, they'd exchanged "I love you"s. And indeed, it was obvious from their expressions and the way they acted around each other that they really were deeply in love and it would be difficult, if not impossible, to come between them. Pike was _not_ going to like her report… but then her initial anger would soon turn to heartbreak and tears, and that meant that she would get to comfort her in her time of distress. Lilie's eyes sparkled as she thought of it. She would give her report with full and oh so deliciously brutal honesty, sparing no painful detail, and when Pike had finished raging she would be there to swoop in and offer her whatever comfort she could give. What a beautiful tragedy it would be!

"You know those two, mon cherie?" Femio appeared at her side, his gaze traveling to Fakir and Ahiru as he saw where she was looking.

"You could say that," Lilie said cautiously. "Do you?"

"A mere passing acquaintance." Femio shrugged. "The man is of extraordinary ill-temper, and the lady is _tres jolie_ … though not as much as you are," he hastened to say.

"Yes, how… very _sinful_ it would have been if you had praised another woman more than me on this, our first date," Lilie said. She couldn't help but be disappointed that he'd corrected himself; punishing him again would have been so fun. Ah well, with his personality being what it was, there were sure to be many more opportunities.

"Indeed." His lower lip quivered slightly. "Whilst I would be more than happy to commit many unspeakable sins for the sake of a beautiful woman, I would be a beast were I to sin _against_ her…"

"Oh, _really_." Lilie's eyes gleamed. "You must tell me more about the sins you would be willing to commit for me, and what punishments would be appropriate for sinning against me…"

"Non, non!" Femio shook his head, looking scandalized. "Not in a venue such as this! How inappropriate! Some other time, however." He lifted her hand and kissed it. "I swear it upon my family name! And if I fail to keep my promise, you may punish me as you see fit!"

"That is _very_ good to know. Oh yes, oh yes." Lilie nodded happily. "Now then, speaking of sins… I am realizing that you are committing one now by not having asked me to dance yet." Her eyes shone with the illusion of unshed tears. "Do you… not wish to?"

"Mon dieu!" Femio drew back, horror evident in his expression. "Please, forgive me this grave sin… for I would like nothing more than to whirl you around the dance floor and create a memorable experience for everyone else. Montand! A rose!"

"Yes, Master Femio!" Montand appeared at Femio's side almost out of nowhere, and handed him a rose. Lilie expected him to offer it to her, but instead he placed it in his teeth, and then seized her hands.

"F-Femio…" She barely had time to react before Femio was whirling her onto the center of the floor, somehow managing to keep the rose in place as he announced to everyone that they were about to be treated to a rare and beautiful sight. She then found herself suddenly grateful for having been forced into dancing lessons by her parents as he began to tango rather flamboyantly with her.

Their presence at the wedding could no longer be overlooked at that point, and Ahiru blanched as she saw them. "F-Fakir… I…" She turned to see that he looked as horrified as she felt. "I - I don't want them to see me… she - she's scary, and he's…"

"I know." Fakir shuddered. "Come on, let's just duck out while they're otherwise occupied."

He put his arm around her and led her away, and Ahiru put up a strong Don't Notice spell around them as they left, for good measure. She didn't let it down until they were well away and into the wooded area of the estate, with the little gazebo in sight just through the trees ahead of them.

"I - I really like this gazebo," Ahiru said shyly as they walked in. "It's really special to me, cause we've spent a lot of time here together, and especially cause… this is where we first told each other how we feel."

Fakir smiled, remembering the day after Ahiru's birthday when she'd confessed her feelings to him and he'd responded in kind. "Yeah… it's… kind of our own special little place now."

"Yeah!" Beaming at him, she tugged him closer. "Um… I know there's no music here, we're too far away to really hear it… but do you want to dance some more? I - I was really enjoying it…" She blushed.

"Of course." He kissed her cheek, making her giggle, and pulled her close the way he had on the dance floor. They had less space here, and no music to guide their steps, but it was also more private, with the added emotional significance of the location.

As they danced in contented silence, neither one could help letting their minds drift back to Raetsel's teasing. Hans had been right, they were too young still to start seriously thinking about marriage, and so neither one of them blamed the other for getting so flustered. It wasn't something they felt the need to talk about, because they understood why they'd each reacted that way and didn't have a problem with it. All the same, though, Fakir found that he liked the idea of spending his life with Ahiru; it may have been embarrassing to be teased like that, but the actual thought of marrying her wasn't at all terrifying. As for Ahiru, she discovered when she thought about it more that the concept of staying with Fakir forever, of them always being by each other's sides, made her feel calm and happy to the same degree that the thought of him leaving the castle after his studies were finished had frightened her.

That, they both thought, were very good signs indeed.


End file.
